Automatic circuit-controller.



R. D. ASHLEY.

AUTOMATIC CIRCUTT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,1915.

1 ,1 90,366. Patent-ed July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

m a KS LAM WITNESS II VVENTOR wffiw By M way/7s ATTORNEY R. D. ASHLEY.

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,1915.

1 ,1 90,366. Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

26$ QQQ QJQQ Q50 WITNESS nvmvm fi W 05.01. A Jan 4 BY f M 0972 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBIN D. ASHLEY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORN'IA.

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Application filed August 9, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBIN D.- AsnLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of automatic switches, and more particularly to that type known as automatic circuit controllers, by the use of which the properties of an electric circuit may be automatically changed in accordance with any pre-determined plan.

The object of this invention is to provide a circuit controller of the described type, which will automatically vary the virtual resistance of the circuit in which it is included in case any abnormal fluctuation of the current therein takes place, and thereby protect the various elements of that circuit from the effects of an excessive load, without interrupting or opening said circuit at any time, and which will automatically return said circuit to its normal state when the cause of the abnormal condition shall have been removed.

To this end my invention consists in the simple and novel automatic circuit controller which I shall hereinafter fully describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a simple form of my controller, a section of the cover being removed, showing the arrangement of the various parts. Fig.- 2 is a diagram showing the electrical connections of the controller illustrated in Fig. 1, and its relation to the circuit to be protected, said circuit being shown as of the type used for operating railway signals. Fig. 8 is an elevation, similar to Fig. 1,'of a modified form of my controller. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing theelectrical connections of the modified form of controller illustrated in Fig. 3.

Throughout the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings,1 representsa base or support, of any suitable material, and 2 is a cover for inclosing the operating elements of the controller. Mounted upon the base 1 is an electro-magnet 3, preferably of the relatively non-inductive solenoid type, having a piston armature 4 operating ona central Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Serial No. 44,426.

guide-rod 5. The armature 4 has at its lower end a flange or collar 6, and beyond this collar an adjustable extension 7.

A switch arm 8 is pivotally mounted upon the base 1 in proximity to the magnet 3, which switch arm carries the movable flexible contact 9, adapted for electrical engagement with the stationary contact 9". The switch arm 8 is actuated through the forked lever 11 by the collar 6 of the armature 4. Another switch arm 12, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings as being flexibly connected to the base 1 by the pin 12, is actuated by the extension 7 of the armature 4, and carries a movable contact 13, adapted to electrically engage a stationary contact 13. A

second magnet 14, preferably of the ironclad solenoid type, is also mounted upon the base 1, and has within it a piston armature 15, sliding upon the guide rod 16. This armature 15 is formed, similarly to the armature 4 of the magnet 3, with a collar or flange 17 at its lower end, and an adjustable extension 18. A switch arm 19, shown as flexibly connected to the base 1 by the pin 19 is operated by the extension 18 of the armature 15 to electrically connect or disconnect a movable contact 20 and a stationary contact 20.

A switch arm 21 is pivotally mounted 011 the base ladjacent to the switch arm 8, and carries a movable flexible contact 22 adapted to electrically engage a stationary contact 22. This switch arm 21 is actuated by the armature 15 of the magnet 14, by means of the engagement of the collar 17 with a forked lever 23 connected to the switch arm 21. A notched arm 24 extending from the switch arm 8 engages with a lug 25 on the switch arm 21 to form an interlocking means whereby either switch is held in its closed position when the other switch is open, and whereby vthe closed switch is automatically released when the other switch is closed, the principal function of said interlocking means being to prevent the coincident opening of both switches. Suitable binding-posts 26, 27, 29, 30 and 30 are mounted at any convenient points on the base 1, and serve to connect the controller to its circuit as hereinafter described.

This automatic controller may be connected either directly or indirectly, that is through relays, transformers, etc, in any electrical circuit, and may be used with either alternating or direct-current. It is particularly suitable, however, for use in railway signal circuits, where the action of the signals is dependent upon a short-circuit caused by the wheels and axles of the train. In such circuits, my controller, when installed between the source of current and the track, protects said source of current from the excessive current which would otherwise follow on. account of the shortcircuit, without opening or breaking the circuit and thus rendering it inoperative.

The electrical connections and the operation of my controller may be described with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, which illustrates the controller as included in an alternating-current railway signal circuit, in which are also included the rails of the track. A source of current 31 is here indicated as a transformer. The rails of the track 32 form a part, of the circuit, which is understood to be completed by any signal device, not indicated in the drawings. The circuit normally consists of the secondary winding of the transformer 31, the track 32, a signal device, not shown, the wire 33, the switch 21 with its contacts 22 and 22, the wire 34, the magnet 3, one of the wires 35 or 35, the wire 36, and the fuse 37. The wires 35 and 35 are taken oif the magnet 3 at difierent points in its winding, thus providing an electrical adjustment for said magnet 3.

Then the current in the circuit becomes excessive, the magnet 3 will draw up its armature 4, which action opens the switch 12 and closes the switch 8. The closing of the switch 8, through the interlocking means 24 and 25,Fig. 1 of the drawings, releases the switch 21, which is thereupon opened by gravity, or by a spring, not shown in the drawings. By this opening of the switch 21, the original or normal controllercircuit including the magnet 3, is broken, and said magnet 3 being deenergized, its armature 4 is allowed to drop, thereby closing the switch 12. The normal circuit being broken by the opening of the switch 21, the working circuit now consists of the secondary winding of the transformer 31, the track 32, the wire 33, the wire 36, and a reactance 37. A parallel or shunt circuit is also formed across the track and load, consisting of the contacts 9 and 9 of the switch 8, the wire 38, the switch 12, the wire 39, the restoring magnet 14, and the wire 40.

The function of the reactance 37, which may also be simple resistance, is to provide sufficient impedance or virtual. resistance in the circuit to prevent the current therein from increasing to a destructive amount.

The circuit including the reactance 37' is at no time opened, even during the normal operation of the device. The impedance or virtual resistance of said reactance 37', however, is sufficiently great to prevent any appreciable current flowing therethrough as long as the normal, or working circuit, is closed, for the reason that the virtual resistance of said normal circuit is very low, the magnet 3 having as little inductance as is consistent with its proper operation. The emergency circuit, including the reactance 37, therefore transmits an appreciable current only when the normal circuit is opened as described above.

The amount of current flowing in the shunt circuit, which includes the restoring magnet 14, depends upon the potential be tween the two rails of the track 32, across which said circuit is shunted, and the pd tential between the rails 32 depends in turn upon the amount of current flowing through the reactance 37. Therefore, if this cu rent becomes less, and the potential between the rails consequently increases, that is if the external circuit returns to its normal condition, more current will flow in the shunt circuit. This causes the magnet 14 to draw up its armature 15, thereby closing the switches 19 and 21. The closing of the switch 21 releases the switch 8 by the interlocking means 24 and 25 (Fig. 1 of the drawings) which said switch 8 is then opened by gravity or by a spring, not shown in the drawings. By the closing of the switch 21 and the opening of the switch 8, the original circuit including the magnet 3 is restored, the reactance 37 is shunted out, and the circuit including the restoring magnet 14 is broken. The switch 19, being closed during the time that the magnet 14 is energized, short-circuits the magnet 3 through wires 41 and 42, and thereby prevents both magnets from operating together during the brief interval of time between the closing of the switch 21 and the opening of the switch 8. Similarly, the switch 12 being open while the magnet 3 is energized, breaks the circuit of the restoring magnet 14, and thereby prevents the simultaneous action of both magnets during the interval between the closing of switch 8 and the opening of switch 21. This interval between the closing of one main switclrand the opening of the other is necessary to insure a closed circuit at all times, and is permitted by the flexure of the movable contacts 9 and 22.

In addition to the electrical adjustment of the magnet 3, consisting of the double leads therefrom, mechanical adjustments are provided for the armatures of both magnets, to cause them to operate under the desired currents. The extensions 7 and 18 of the armatures 4 and 15 respectively act as stops for said armatures in their normal position,(Fig. 1 of the drawings). Therefore by raising or lowering the armatures 4 and 15 with respect to their respective extensions 7 and 18, the position of said armatures within their respective magnets is changed, and the lifting power of said magnets upon said armatures is proportionately varied.

A modified form of my controller, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, is made by adding another pair of contacts, 10 and 10,-Fig. 3, to the switch 8. Another binding post 28 is also necessary to connect this form of controller to its outside circuits. The operation of this modification is essentially similar to that of the form described above, except that in the modified form the emergency circuit including the reactance, is open during the time that the normal circuit is closed, instead of being merely shunted out by said normal circuit.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the normal circuit in the modified form of my automatic controller, as in the previously described case, comprises the secondary winding of the transformer 31, the track 32, a signal device or other load, not shown, the wire 33, the contacts 22 and 22 of the switch 21, the magnet 3, one ofthe wires 35 or 35, the wire 36, and the fuse 37. Excessive current in this normal circuit causes the magnet 3 to close the switch 8, whereupon the switch 21 is released and opened by gravity or by a spring, not shown in the drawings. This closes the emergency circuit, which consists of the secondary winding of the transformer 31, the track 32, the wire 33, the contacts 10 and 10 of the switch 8, the wire 36, and the reactance 37. As in the other case, a shunt circuit is also formed across the track and load, consisting of the contacts 9 and 9 of the switch 8, the wire 38, the switch 12, the wire 39, the restoring magnet 14, and the wire 40.

l/Vhen the load returns to its normal condition, the consequent decrease in voltagedrop around the reactance 37 will cause a corresponding increase in voltage applied to the restoring magnet 14 and thus force suflicient current through said magnet to cause the same to close the switch 21, thereby releasing the switch 8. The normal circuit is thus restored and the emergency circuit and the restoring shunt circuit are opened by their respective contacts on the switch 8.

The operation of the switches 12 and 19, to prevent the simultaneous energizing of both magnets, is identical with that in the simple form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and described above in connection therewith.

The particular forms of my invention hereinbefore described are those which are deemed preferable. I am aware, however, that my invention may be otherwise embodied without in any manner affecting its essentials as herein described and claimed.

I claim 1. In a circuit-controlling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit, an automatic controller comprising an electrically operated switch for opening and closing the normal circuit; an electrically operated switch for opening and closing the auxiliary circuit; interlocking means whereby either switch must be closed before the other can be opened; devices for preventing the simultaneous closing of both switches; and suit able connections for operating said switches.

2. In a circuit-controlling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit, an automatic controller comprising anelectrically operated switch for opening and closing the normal circuit; an electrically operated switch for opening and closing the emergency circuit and the auxiliary circuit; interlocking means whereby either switch must be closed before the other can be opened; devices for preventing the simultaneous closing of both switches; and suitable connections for operating said switches.

3. In circuit-controlling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit, an automatic controller comprising a switch for opening and closing the normal circuit and an electro-magnet for closing said switch; a second switch for opening and closing the auxiliary circuit and a second electromagnet for closing said second switch; interlocking means whereby either switch must be closed before the other .an be opened; inter-connections for preventing the simultaneous energizing of both of said magnets; and suitable connections between said magnets and said switches.

1. In a circuitcontrolling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit in parallel with said emergency circuit, an automatic controller comprising a solenoid magnet in series with the normal circuit; a switch operated by said series magnet to close the auxiliary restoring circuit; a solenoid magnet in said auxiliary restoring circuit; a switch operated by said restoring magnet to close the normal circuit; interlocking means carried by said switches whereby the clos ing of either switch must precede the opening of the other; devices for preventing the simultaneous energizing of both magnets consisting of a switch operated by the series magnet for breaking the circuit of the restoring magnet, and a switch operated by the restoring magnet for short-circuiting the series magnet; and suitable connections between said magnets and said switches.

5. In a circuitcontrolling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit in parallel with said emergency circuit, an automatic controller comprising a solenoid magnet in i series with the normal circuit; a switch operated by said series magnet to close the auxiliary restoring circuit; a solenoid magnet in said auxiliary restoring circuit; a switch operated by said restoring magnet to close the normal circuit; interlocking means whereby either switch must be closed before the other can be opened, said interlocking means comprising a notched arm extending from the movable member of one of said switches and a lug, adapted for engagement with said notched arm, attached to the movable member of the other switch; devices for preventing the simultaneous energizing of both magnets; and suitable connections between said magnets and said switches.

In a circuit-controlling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit in parallel with said emergency circuit, an automatic controller comprising a solenoid magnet in series with the normal circuit, a slidably mounted piston armature within said magnet; a flange on the outer end of said arma ture; and an adjustable extension on said armature for defining its position with respect to the magnet; a switch for opening and closing the auxiliary restoring circuit; a lever for engagement withsaid flange for closing said switch; a solenoid magnet in said auxiliary restoring circuit; said restoring magnet having a piston armature provided at its outer end with a flange and an adjustable extension for definin the position of said armature with respect to its magnet; a switch for opening and closing the normal circuit, said switch having a lever and being closed by the restoring ma gnet by means of the engagement of the flange on the armature thereof with the switch-lever; interlocking means carried by said switches whereby either switch must be closed before the other can be opened;

devices for preventing the simultaneous energizing of both magnets; and suitable connections between said magnets and said switches! 7. In a circuit-controlling system having a normal circuit, an emergency circuit and an auxiliary restoring circuit in parallel with said emer ency circuit, an automatic controller comprising a solenoid magnet in series with the normal circuit; a slidably mounted piston armature within said magnet; a flange on the outer end of said armature; and an adjustable extension on said armature for defining its position with respect to the magnet; a switch for opening and closing the emergency circuit and the auxiliary restoring circuit; a lever for engagement with said flange for closing said switch; a solenoid magnet in said auxiliary restoring circuit, said restoring magnet having a piston armature provided at itsv outer end with a flange and an adjustable extension for defining the position of said armature with respect to its magnet; a switch for opening and closing the normal circuit, said switch having a lever and being closed by the restoring magnet by means of the engagcment of the flange on the armature thereof with the switch-lever; interlocking means carried by said switches whereby either switch must be closed before the other can be opened; devices for preventing the simultaneous energizing of both magnets; and suitable connections between said magnets and said switches.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBIN D. ASHLEY.

Vitnesses 31. F. BOOTH, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

